Note #1: When I first imagined the scenes below, I pictured the ghosts as these transparent, bodiless beings. I still think it'd make a lot more sense this way, but since this rule was broken in spades on season 4, first with Patty, then with Paige's adoptive parents, then with those guys who were seeking vengeance against Leo, I decided that I, too, would throw common sense out the window in the name of dramatic sense.
Note #2: These are the last guests: next chapter will be all about the wedding, I promise.
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Paige is finishing her makeup, humming a tune and mentally reviewing the preparations for the wedding:
"Aromatic candles: checked. Flowers: checked. Table covers: checked. Tulle bows: checked."
"You must be Paige." -- the voice coming from behind her startles Paige, and she spins around to face the woman who's standing at her bedroom's door.
Even though they have never met in person, Paige has no trouble identifying the newcomer: there are lots of pictures of her in the manor. Besides, as their eyes meet she feels a thrill of recognition: the beautiful woman standing before her is the last piece of the puzzle that started to come together about three years ago, when a cry for a lost witch changed her life forever.
"Hi, Prue," she says, softly.
Prue hesitates briefly, then says, smiling:
"Hi, Paige."
With no need for words, the oldest and the youngest Halliwell walk slowly toward each other, until they meet in the middle of the room. They look at each other for a moment, in silence, then Prue reaches out and touches Paige's face, saying:
"I've been told you're one hell of a witch. Charmed from head to toe."
"From what I've heard, so were you," says Paige, smiling. Then she bites her lower lip and says, her voice trembling slightly:
"I wanted to meet you so badly: I feel like I've lost you before I had the chance to find you."
"I'm not lost," says Prue, softly. "Not to you, nor to anyone. I'm still here: I'll always be."
She reaches out for Paige and hugs her baby sister.
"We're sisters: we share a bond stronger than anything evil can scheme," whispers Prue, fondling Paige's hair. "So, we didn't get to live together in this house. So, what? This" -- she makes a wide gesture, encompassing the room -- "isn't forever, this isn't even the smallest glimpse of forever. This," -- she hugs Paige tighter and kisses her forehead -- "is."
The two sisters remain silently in each other's arms for a while, until Piper bursts into the room, saying:
"Paige, guess what, mom and grams are..." -- she stops short and lets out a small cry as Prue turns around to face her.
"You came," says Piper, in a tiny voice, tears already rolling from her eyes. "Leo didn't told me you'd be here, I..." -- she chokes, unable to finish the sentence.
As Paige runs to Phoebe's bedroom, willing to see her mother and grandmother, Piper falls into Prue's arms. Both girls are crying as they hug each other as tight as possible, wanting to express in these few moments everything they had to hold back for the last three years.
"I called for you," says Piper in between sobs, "I cried and cried for you..."
"I know, sweetie," says Prue stroking her sister's hair and crying, too. "I know you did. I could hear you, and God I wanted to answer, I wanted so badly to come and comfort you."
She pulls away to look into Piper's eyes, saying:
"But at first I couldn't, and later I understood that I shouldn't. No matter how badly I wanted to see you and Phoebe and tell you that I was fine, you guys had a destiny to fulfill, and I had no right to stand in the way."
"You would never..." Piper starts.
"Yes, I would, Piper," says Prue, gently. "As long as I was around, we'd be clinging to the past, the three of us. There'd never be room for Paige in your lives. I'm still your sister, and I'll always be, but I'm not a Charmed One any more. She is."
"I miss you," Piper whispers.
"I know you do, sweetie," says Prue, softly. "And I miss you, too. But you know it's just a matter of time before we are reunited. Nothing would keep us apart forever. Nothing could. You know that, don't you?" she asks, wiping away the tears from Piper's face.
"Yes," says Piper, smiling through the tears. "I do."
They hug again, and Piper asks, with her head still resting on Prue's shoulder:
"So, how's the afterlife?"
"It grows on you," says Prue, smiling. "It helps that I have mom, and Grams... and Andy," she adds, somewhat sheepishly.
As she expected, this makes Piper raise her head from her shoulder and give her an inquisitive smile.
"Don't give me this look," says Prue, giggling. "We're both dead, remember?"
"Well, so is my husband!" says Piper, pointing at her five-months-pregnant belly.
"Piper!" Prue exclaims, in mock shock, glad to see that she managed to cheer up her sister. Then, touching Piper's belly affectionately, she says:
"So, I suppose this is that cute little girl we saw in your future?"
"Yes," says Piper, grinning. "Melinda, this is your aunt Prue. What, sweetie?" she says, bowing her head as if to better listen to the baby. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." Raising her head and facing Prue again, Piper says: "She's saying that if we don't hurry we're gonna cause the wedding to be late, and that'll freak her Uncle Cole out."
"So I guess we should go see Phoebe now, and let her cry her eyes out, so that we all have time to wash our faces and put some really heavy make up on to hide our puffy eyes," says Prue, smiling.
They hug again, then leave the room together, heading to Phoebe's bedroom.
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In Phoebe's bedroom, Prue and Piper find Ben surrounded by the three generations of the Halliwell family. He's sitting on Patty's knees, being the center of attentions and loving every minute of it. Paige managed to rent a tuxedo in his size, and the only thing missing is the tie: after some unsuccessful attempts to make him wear it, she had no choice but admitting defeat, just like Phoebe had told her she would.
Phoebe is sitting on her bed, with a jewelry box on her lap, holding one earring next to each ear.
"So," she's saying, "what do you think? Pearls or..." -- she never gets to finish the sentence, as Piper and Prue enter the room.
Rings, bracelets and necklaces go flying across the room as she jumps to her feet and runs to Prue, throwing her arms around her neck and almost making her lose her balance.
Prue holds her tight, this baby sister of hers that has gone through so much on the past three years.
"Is this really you?" says Phoebe, with her face buried on Prue's shoulder.
"Uh, yes," says Prue, smiling through the tears running down her face again. "Let's time I checked, I was still me."
"Are you here for my wedding?" Phoebe asks, raising her head.
"Sure," says Prue, touching her face affectionately. "I would never miss it. And I promise you I'll behave this time: no guys in motorcycles coming crashing through the door."
Even as Phoebe laughs, she can't stop the tears from falling, and her laugh soon trails off.
"I'm sorry, Prue," she says, in a trembling voice. "All this time, I wanted so badly to tell you how much I was s..."
"Shush," says Prue, gently placing her fingers on Phoebe's lips. "There's nothing you should be sorry about. You've been carrying this burden all alone for a long time, but it's time you let it go, Phoebe." -- she cups Phoebe's face in her hands -- "The day I died, you were at the very place you were supposed to be. Not here, saving me, but down there, saving Cole."
She gives Phoebe a sheepish smile before adding:
"No matter what they say about death, it sure gives you a new perspective on things." Pulling her sister close again and holding her tight, Prue adds, in a more serious manner: "Saving a life is nothing compared to saving a soul, honey. You did the right thing: never doubt that."
Prue keeps stroking Phoebe's hair gently, feeling the tension on her sister's shoulders slowly diminish as her words sink in.
"I love you," Phoebe finally whispers.
"I love you too, sweetie," says Prue. Then, looking at Piper and Paige, she adds: "All of you. And I'm so, so proud of my sisters!..."
As Piper and Paige approach and envelop Prue and Phoebe in one big group hug, Patty and Penny exchange a smile, looking at the four Halliwell sisters, together at last.
When they finally break the hug, Prue says, running her hand across her face:
"Now, I believe we have a wedding to attend to. Why don't the three of you go wash your faces and get presentable? I would, too, but I'm afraid I still have a lot of crying to do downstairs: I haven't seen..." -- Piper raises her eyebrows warningly, but fortunately Phoebe doesn't notice it -- "uh, Leo and Cole yet."
She, Patty and Penny go join the others in the living room, taking Ben with them, while Piper, Paige and Phoebe get ready for the wedding.
